The University of San Diego has
implemented a data deduplication appliance with backup software for virtual
environments to significantly reduce its disk storage needs for backing up the
school's virtual machine data.

The University of San Diego has virtualized 98 percent of its IT
infrastructure. While virtualization has resulted in significant cost savings,
the increased volume of data has overwhelmed the university's backup workflow to
the point that it couldn't meet its backup windows. Since the university
anticipates the volume of data to continue to grow with the addition of highly
integrated systems and mobile applications, it needed to find a new backup
solution.

After examining various data deduplication appliances and software available
on the market, the University of San Diego selected a Quantum
DXi-Series deduplication appliance and vmPRO VM data protection software. According to information on Quantum's
site, the DXi appliance can minimize disk storage through variable-length
deduplication and reduce backup and restore times through its StorNext file
system. Meanwhile, the vmPRO software backs up data in native VMware format,
which results in greater availability and efficiency, according to the company.

Since implementing the new backup solution, the University of San Diego has
achieved a 22:1 deduplication ratio and improved restore times. The system has
also enabled the university to back up all of its data within established backup
windows, while saving time for its system architects to work on other projects.

With the DXi appliance and vmPRO software, the university anticipates that it
will be able to protect its VMware virtual environments as the volume of data
continues to expand. It is also considering making use of the DXi's cloud-ready
capabilities to use the cloud for replication and archive purposes.

About the Author

Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at leilameyer@gmail.com.